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Call of Duty fans, rejoice! The latest release, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, has taken the gaming world by storm, outshining Modern Warfare 2 and Modern Warfare 3 on Steam. According to data from SteamDB, Black Ops 6 saw a jaw-dropping peak player count of 306,460 during its first weekend – making it one of the most popular launches for the franchise in recent years.
In comparison, Modern Warfare 2 drew 263,174 concurrent players in its debut weekend last year, while Modern Warfare 3 came in at 190,707. While Warzone 2.0, the franchise’s free-to-play battle royale, still holds the record with 491,670 players on launch, Black Ops 6 has proved that traditional Call of Duty titles can still pull in huge numbers. Not bad for a $69.99 title!
A Return to Steam and Stellar Reviews Fuel Success
This win is even more significant considering Call of Duty bypassed Steam entirely for five years, from 2017 to 2022. Fans have welcomed the return, and Black Ops 6 is winning them over with critical acclaim, especially for its campaign mode. IGN awarded the game a glowing 9/10, praising it as “the best Call of Duty campaign in many, many years,” with missions that offer incredible variety and player flexibility.
Game Pass Debut and Multiplayer Tips Galore
To mark an industry first, Black Ops 6 is also the first Call of Duty title to land on Xbox Game Pass on launch day, a move predicted to add millions of subscribers to the service. However, it comes with an interesting trade-off: an estimated six million lost sales.
For those diving into multiplayer, we’ve got you covered! Be sure to check out our Essential Multiplayer Tips and Tricks, full weapons list, map guides, and operator unlocks to dominate on the battlefield. With Black Ops 6 taking the lead as one of the best Call of Duty releases to date, there’s no better time to suit up and join the action!
